In keeping with the growing outcropping of gastropubs across the nation, The Monk’s Kettle has put San Francisco on the map for ale outposts. Whether it’s a craving for Death & Taxes (the beer, that is) or Oaked Arrogant Bastard (also beer), this Mission District fixture has you covered.

Pro Tip

The wait time here has become nearly as famous as the beer itself, so stick to smaller groups.

Nestled in the heart of the Mission, The Monk’s Kettle is a bonafied Belgian beer haven. With over twenty-four beers on tap, more than 150 bottled beers, and nearly fifteen rare bottles in the cellar, this gastropub certainly puts its emphasis on quality ale – and both beer enthusiast and casual beer drinker alike find something to suit their palate. But if the seven-page beer menu seems a daunting task, the menu has ale accompaniment suggestions for each of its food items.

Matching beer in tow, diners rave about the pork chop and the perfectly salted fries (complete with special sauce). But no matter the order, it’s the confluence of beer, grub, and an intimate setting that make this bar more of an experience than a pit stop. And as one writer succinctly put it, this pub is “rigorous in its mission and casual and affordable in its demeanor.”